In the blink of an ecclesiastical click I was enjoying his blog, Liturgy, and discovering a wonderful resource for worship.

I hope you’ll follow the link and make your own discoveries, but even if you don’t, I can’t help but embed the YouTube clip in his Mitregate post. Bosco dubbed it “Mitregate – the official trailer of the movie!” but like the video I featured in Jesus, Tweeting, this comes from the Anglican Church in Canada and originally bore the title “Vision 2019: Dream Baby Dream.”

The underlined dates in the monthly calendar on its Main Page indicate when it has published new posts. So, for example, if you click on today’s date (June 28) you will find a post titled another bishop resigns from a standing committee.

Notwithstanding the 2003 description, there are many contributions beyond “Britain today,” as evidenced by scrolling down the Main Page.

Or, click on June 1 in the Monthly Calendar for information about the Canadian General Synod. Or June 7 about Episcopal Church reports on ACO action. Or June 10: Scottish Episcopal Church General Synod Thursday. Or its June 20 compendium of responses to “Mitregate” in its post titled Southwark episode rumbles on.

Thinking Anglicans encompasses the entire Anglican Communion, its joys and its challenges, as well as "what it means to be a Christian."

June 27, 2010

Here is the sixth in a series of posts introducing some of the websites and blogs I enjoy and appreciate.

Christine McIntosh is a parishioner at Holy Trinity (Scottish) Episcopal Church, Dunoon, in the Diocese of Argyll and the Isles. She describes herself as a “Former English teacher on the loose,” and her posts reflect a pleasing combination of perspicacity and good humor. blethers isn’t “foolish nonsense” at all; it’s a wise and poetic look at Christianity, the Anglican Communion, and life.

A sample of her writing from her June 6th post titled A new shepherd!

“The party went on long enough for several of us to have missed Doctor Who, but the sun shone and it really did seem as if being a Christian was a feasible option after all.

“I cannot, however, end on this uncharacteristically Pollyanna note. Mention of Doctor Who brings me back to the church car-park, where a Tardis had materialised in the shape of a Portaloo perched perilously on the edge of the steep drop down to Kilbride Road. Despite our misgivings, no-one reversed into it, and no-one was catapulted inside it to instant ignominy among the rhododendrons. It served its purpose, and by the time we returned this morning it had vanished.

“Just like the Tardis, really.”

Ten generations ago, ca. 1659, my forebear John McGhie was born in the Galloway district of southwest Scotland. A staunch Presbyterian and Covenanter, he refused to acknowledge James II of England as head of the Church of Scotland. He was arrested, imprisoned in DunnottarCastle, and banished to the New Jersey Plantations in December 1685. Now, of course, he enjoys reading blethers as much as his Episcopal priest descendant.

June 26, 2010

Here is the fifth in a series of posts introducing some of the websites and blogs I enjoy and appreciate.

.

Another of Grace’s leaders and bloggers is Steve Collins. In fact, his blog links to several other sites that he authors, and all of them are great fun to navigate and a graphic delight.

.

For example, when you arrive at Steve’s blog, go to the third column and click on Small Ritual – Main Site. The second column, headlined Home, features several bands of various colors and lengths. These are, literally, apocalyptic graphics, because you must use your cursor to uncover their content.

.

Now, under the left-hand column, choose other categories you might like to sample. The first link, to Writings on the emerging church, will bring you to another series of bands with titles. “Writings” is a little misleading because some of these emerging church commentaries are graphics, as provocative as they are amusing. Try Omelette Church. Or Toolbox (you’ll need your cursor again). Or Sofa.

June 25, 2010

Here is the fourth in a series of posts introducing some of the websites and blogs I enjoy and appreciate.

.

Maggi Dawn describes herself as an author, musician, and theologian. She has kept her eponymous blog “since September 2003, writing about theology and faith, the arts and literature, and a little about life and random nonsense.”

.

She makes perceptive and stimulating comments, offering fresh and progressive perspectives on the Church of England from her vantage points as a priest and a pioneer in the Emerging Church movement.

June 24, 2010

This is the third in a series of posts introducing some of the websites and blogs I enjoy and appreciate.

.

If you read A history of Grace in yesterday’s post, you came across the name of Jonny Baker. He is a leading light in the Emerging Church movement, and today’s post introduces you to his eponymous blog.

If you’ve ever wondered how the Emerging Church movement began, A history of Grace tells the story of one community’s evolution.

.

A central focus for Grace is offering “Fresh Vital Worship.” The monthly Gracelet service is one example. Gracelet is described in A history of Grace as “a small quiet service, deliberately short and simple, so that we can spend the rest of the evening in the pub across the road building community.” Gracelet Guidelines presents the service’s purpose, planning, and specific, practical details.

.

Here is a link to my Sabbatical post on our visit to Grace. After showing you some of their creative announcements for upcoming services, you will find pictures of the community's host parish and the worship service that followed a delightful barbecue.

June 21, 2010

The title for this post is taken from her sermon, but it's also the question before the Church of England when it meets in General Synod July 9-13 to debate and vote on legislation to allow the consecration of women bishops. You can read about it here.

Afterward, I invite you to explore Southwark Cathedral's website. The Cathedral is situated south of the River Thames and close by London Bridge. Remarkable for its beauty and history, today it serves as a progressive beacon in the Church of England. It's easily one of Ingrid's and my favorite Cathedrals.

Here are pictures of an exterior view, the altar, and the tomb of Lancelot Andrewes.

Lancelot Andrewes translated the Pentateuch for the 1611 King James Version of the Bible, preached magnificent sermons, and wrote many prayers. Two of them hang from a pillar alongside his tomb.

Be silent, still, aware,

for there in your own heart

the Spirit is at prayer.

Listen and learn,

open and find,

heart, wisdom,

Christ.

And

Thou, O Lord, art the Helper of the helpless, the Hope of the hopeless, the Saviour of them who are tossed with the tempests, the Haven of them who sail; be thou all to all. The glorious majesty of the Lord our God be upon us; prosper thou the work of our hands upon us, oh! prosper thou our handiwork. Lord, be thou within us to strengthen us; without us to keep us; above us to protect us; beneath us to uphold us; before us to direct us; behind us to keep us from straying; round about us to defend us. Blessed be thou, O Lord our Father, for ever and ever.